Late in Game No. 363, played last night at the Red Lion in Lincoln Square, newcomer Dan Kolen stood at the board, his hand on his forehead. Since 2011, he had played about a dozen games online with old friends now scattered around the country, but this was his first foray into face-to-face Diplomacy.
“I’m looking for an ally,” he implored, as he assessed his crumbling Austrian empire, now completely encircled by barbarians. “I’m looking for a friend!”
“Well,” replied one of the guys he had met earlier that evening, “you’ve come to the wrong place.”
Diplomacy is a frustrating game. Moments of levity help to keep it fun. This one was also a reminder of what you should expect from one of our bar games: They’re opportunities to get out for a few drinks while joining some pretty cool people for a game that can be thrilling and aggravating, often at the same time.
Game No. 363 ended by time limit after the Fall 1905 turn in the following center counts:
Austria (Dan Kolen): 2; 2.247 points.
England (Jim O’Kelley): 6; 20.225 points.
France (Gabby Henderson): 5; 14.045 points.
Germany (Christian Kline): 6; 20.225 points.
Italy (Bryan Pravel): 4; 8.989 points.
Russia (Ali Adib): 5; 14.045 points.
Turkey (Jake Langenfeld): 6; 20.225 points.
Kolen and Henderson are Adib’s recruits. Ali continues to work tirelessly to bring new players into the fold. Interestingly, Kolen met him through Gus Spelman, another Adib recruit. (Langenfeld, too, was brought in by Adib.)
The supply center chart is here. The updated league standings are here. And here are the current Bar Room Brawl standings.
Players, how about some post-game chatter?
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Alternate titles:
1) [b]The Pravel Paradigm Shift.[/b] This was another classic Pravel board-top…except Pravel didn’t top.
2) [b]The Number of the Beast.[/b] The game did end in a shared 6-6-6 board-top.
Of course, if the result foretells the coming of the beast, then the obvious question is which of the three board-toppers gets the title role?
* The guy who lies with goats?
* The false Christian?
* Or the player who founded the club 12 1/2 years ago to give us all more opportunities to experience the delightful misery that is Diplomacy?
Trick question, actually. Clearly the beast is Pravel.
I’ll comment on the game later, but I want to set the record straight: Ali did not recruit me. I came to the club on my own in February 2015. I met Ali in my first game. I was but a lonely wanderer!
#FakeNews